Thomas appointed to state group examining federal health reform legislation

Stephen Thomas

GREENVILLE, N.C.   —   Dr. Stephen W. Thomas, dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences at East Carolina University, will serve on a state committee examining the impact of federal health reform legislation on North Carolina.

The effort will be led by Lanier Cansler, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, and Wayne Goodwin, commissioner of the N.C. Department of Insurance and state fire marshal.

Eight groups have been established: prevention, safety net, health professional workforce, health insurance exchange and oversight, Medicaid, new models of care, quality, and fraud and abuse. Thomas will serve on the health professional workforce committee.

The goal is to identify decisions the state must make in implementing health reform, and to identify potential funding opportunities to improve population health, access to care, and health care quality. A report will be finalized in August.